Tour an Airbus A380

June 15, 2005 10:00 PM

Here's the cockpit of the A380. At left is the joy stick, which in all Airbus planes replaces the more traditional yoke. On screen in front of the pilot's position are views from some of the 35 on-board cameras on the plane. The top view is the scene underneath the aircraft. The bottom view is from a camera mounted on the plane's vertical tail. less

Here's the cockpit of the A380. At left is the joy stick, which in all Airbus planes replaces the more traditional yoke. On screen in front of the pilot's position are views from some of the 35 on-board cameras ... more

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Here's the cockpit of the A380. At left is the joy stick,...photo-646542.3281 - |ucfirst

Alan Mulally, head of Boeing's commercial airplane division, boards an Airbus A380 for a guided tour. Mulally's impression: "Man, is it big, and we know big airplanes." Journalists, including the Post-Intelligencer's James Wallace, toured the plane separately afterward. less

Alan Mulally, head of Boeing's commercial airplane division, boards an Airbus A380 for a guided tour. Mulally's impression: "Man, is it big, and we know big airplanes." Journalists, including the ... more

Ballast barrels on the main deck are just past the front door as you look toward the rear of the plane.

Ballast barrels on the main deck are just past the front door as you look toward the rear of the plane.

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Ballast barrels on the main deck are just past the front door as...photo-646549.3281 - |ucfirst

The test A380's main deck is filled with ballast barrels. Used by Boeing and Airbus during flight testing of new planes, the barrels can be filled with various amounts of a water-based solution that will not freeze to simulate different payloads. less

The test A380's main deck is filled with ballast barrels. Used by Boeing and Airbus during flight testing of new planes, the barrels can be filled with various amounts of a water-based solution that will not ... more

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The test A380's main deck is filled with ballast barrels. Used...photo-646552.3281 - |ucfirst

Just past the doorway on the left side of the plane as you walk toward the rear on the main deck is a catwalk of orange-colored metal poles hanging from the ceiling. This is part of an emergency evacuation system for the A380 test flight crew. less

Just past the doorway on the left side of the plane as you walk toward the rear on the main deck is a catwalk of orange-colored metal poles hanging from the ceiling. This is part of an emergency evacuation ... more

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Just past the doorway on the left side of the plane as you walk...photo-646555.3281 - |ucfirst

During a test-flight evacuation from the main deck, the floor opens and the crew would side down a chute to the cargo door shown here. It blows away and out they go -- with parachutes, of course.

During a test-flight evacuation from the main deck, the floor opens and the crew would side down a chute to the cargo door shown here. It blows away and out they go -- with parachutes, of course.

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

During a test-flight evacuation from the main deck, the floor opens...photo-646559.3281 - |ucfirst

About a third of the way back along the spacious main deck is an engineering station. From here, technicians can monitor just about everything that is happening on the A380 during a test flight. A technician can monitor and control 35 cameras located inside and outside the plane. less

About a third of the way back along the spacious main deck is an engineering station. From here, technicians can monitor just about everything that is happening on the A380 during a test flight. A technician ... more

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

About a third of the way back along the spacious main deck is an...photo-646562.3281 - |ucfirst

At the rear of the main deck is a spiral staircase leading to the upper deck. It's so narrow that if you met someone going the other way, you would both have to turn sideways to get by each other. This will be the standard design in the final A380s, although customers can request different designs. less

At the rear of the main deck is a spiral staircase leading to the upper deck. It's so narrow that if you met someone going the other way, you would both have to turn sideways to get by each other. This will be ... more

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

At the rear of the main deck is a spiral staircase leading to the...photo-646570.3281 - |ucfirst

A group tours the A380's upper deck. Unlike on a Boeing 747, the A380's upper deck runs the length of the plane although it's not as wide as the main deck. Still, it's spacious enough that "you would never know there are passengers down below," said tour guide Wolfgang Absmeier, an Airbus test pilot. less

A group tours the A380's upper deck. Unlike on a Boeing 747, the A380's upper deck runs the length of the plane although it's not as wide as the main deck. Still, it's spacious enough that "you would never know ... more

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A group tours the A380's upper deck. Unlike on a Boeing 747,...photo-646574.3281 - |ucfirst

Ballast barrels also line the A380's upper deck. There are 135 such barrels on the main and upper decks, which can hold 65 metric tons when full.

Ballast barrels also line the A380's upper deck. There are 135 such barrels on the main and upper decks, which can hold 65 metric tons when full.

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Ballast barrels also line the A380's upper deck. There are 135...photo-646577.3281 - |ucfirst

At the front of the upper deck are stairs to the main deck and the cockpit. These stairs are twice as wide as those at the rear of the plane, and were designed to allow passengers to go up or down side by side.

At the front of the upper deck are stairs to the main deck and the cockpit. These stairs are twice as wide as those at the rear of the plane, and were designed to allow passengers to go up or down side by side.

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

At the front of the upper deck are stairs to the main deck and the...photo-646584.3281 - |ucfirst

Data is collected from 25,000 sensors embedded around the A380 during test flights. Banks of electronic equipment on the main deck record 250,000 parameters of information.

Data is collected from 25,000 sensors embedded around the A380 during test flights. Banks of electronic equipment on the main deck record 250,000 parameters of information.

Photo: James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Data is collected from 25,000 sensors embedded around the A380...photo-646588.3281 - |ucfirst

Here's the cockpit of the A380. At left is the joy stick, which in all Airbus planes replaces the more traditional yoke. On screen in front of the pilot's position are views from some of the 35 on-board cameras on the plane. The top view is the scene underneath the aircraft. The bottom view is from a camera mounted on the plane's vertical tail. less

Here's the cockpit of the A380. At left is the joy stick, which in all Airbus planes replaces the more traditional yoke. On screen in front of the pilot's position are views from some of the 35 on-board cameras ... more